The present invention, a robotic arm attachment tool, relates to the field of workpiece handling, and in particular to the field of workpiece handling tools for use with robotic systems.
At an ever increasing rate, robot systems are being used to accomplish repetitive tasks requiring detailed, accurate operations. A properly programmed robot can complete a number of operations in a precise, repeatable sequence. The versitility of such systems is greatly expanded by ever-increasing programming capabilities, precision control mechanisms, and enhanced load handling abilities. Much of this increased versitility is derived from the utilization of robot systems with the capability of having specialized tools attached to their arm. The present invention is just such a specialized tool for attachment to the arm of a robot system.
One specific problem faced is having a robot that can be controlled with precision for detailed work, while, at the same time, also having sufficient load handling capacities. The present invention addresses this problem by providing a tool that can precisely center itself on a workpiece to be handled, as the robot moves the tool into place to engage the workpiece, and by also providing a tool that has an independent load enhancement capability, allowing the tool to selectively apply additional lifting capacity to load or unload workipeces on the apparatus to which the workpiece is initially mated.
One field in which the use of robot systems is increasing is computer and data processing unit construction and assembly. In particular, in the assembly of magnetic and optical disk information storage units, the data recording disks are especially fragile and easily contaminated, such as when the media surface come in contact with the skin of an assembler/dissassembler. Even the thin film of oil deposited on the media resulting from contact with human skin can severly impair the data recording capability of the disk. The more times a disk is handled, the greater is the potential for this damage to the disk. The present invention addresses that problem by providing an automated means of handling such disks, not only during the initial manufacture and assembly of the disk into it's operating unit, but especially during the dissassembly of the unit for repair or re-manufacture processing.
In particular, this invention provides a means for removing a disk that is tightly seated to the hub, a situation commonly encountered during repair or re-manufacture. The close tolerance fit between a disk and the hub on which it is mounted can make removal particularly difficult. If the disk binds to the hub, removal by manual means will generally result in the damage or contamination of the disk. Under the prior art, removal by an automated means such as a robot has been difficult because the high force needed to remove the disk could not be achieved by a robot arm also having the precise control necessary to properly engage a disk mounted on a hub. The present invention addresses the problem by allowing a precision control robot arm to be used and by having an independent load handling enhancement means located in the tool itself, said means being selectively activated once the tool has engaged the disk.